I founded California Reform Sex Offender Laws, the predecessor of the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) eight years ago in September 2011. I did so after reading the book, “We’re All in This Together”, by Frank Lindsay who was convicted of a single sex offense in 1979.
My decision to create this organization was based upon the outrage I experienced after learning that not only Frank’s civil rights, but the civil rights of a large group of people in this country were being violated every day, 24 hours a day. That group of people included not only individuals convicted of a sex offense but also their families.
The initial challenge was where to begin. Which civil right could and should be challenged first?
The answer was to start small, to achieve success in the courtroom and/or the State Capitol. And although it was our intent to begin with the issue of proximity restrictions, that is, where a registrant can visit, a more pressing issue arose that we could not ignore. That issue was the requirement to post a sign on the front door of your home on Halloween that “outed” you as a registrant not just on that day but for always.
We succeeded at stopping the Halloween sign requirement by convincing a federal district court judge that the signs posed a real danger to the registrants who lived there as well as their families. We then moved on to our first case challenging proximity restrictions. After “only” 31 lawsuits, we rid the state of California of such restrictions. In doing so, we established our credibility in the courts and demonstrated our determination to restore the civil rights of registrants and their families.
Our next target was to challenge residency restrictions, that is, laws that limit where registrants and their families can live. This campaign began in the city where Frank Lindsay resided, in part, because that city chose to double the area where registrants could not live despite written and verbal warnings from ACSOL. We have now filed 40 lawsuits and every city we have sued thus far has repealed, revised or agreed not to enforce their residency restrictions. We will continue this campaign until we rid the state of residency restrictions.
This is a great track record, right? Then why do so many people continue to question ACSOL’s dedication to restoring the rights of registrants and their families?
Many such questions come in the context of the Tiered Registry Law which was passed in 2017 and will become effective in 2021.
ACSOL lobbied the state legislature for 6 ½ years before the Tiered Registry Law was passed. Did we get everything we asked for? No! But we did win the ability for about 70 percent of the people on the registry to petition for removal from the registry. Given that there are at least 100,000 people on the California registry, that means that there will be more than 70,000 people who will be able to petition for removal from the registry.
And for those who are not included in this large group, ACSOL will continue its efforts so that you, too, will be eligible to petition for removal from the registry. We cannot guarantee when that will happen, but we can guarantee that we will continue to work toward that goal until it is achieved.
Please understand that ACSOL cannot do this alone. We need YOUR help! We need YOU to participate in hearings in the State Capitol as well as to write letters and to make phone calls.
Over the past 8 years, we have seen what a huge difference 15 people can make at a legislative hearing. And we have seen that number grow to 100. Even so, this is only a small percentage of people affected by legislation that affects the lives of more than 100,000 families.
President John F. Kennedy proclaimed in 1961, “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” I proclaim in 2019, “ask not what ACSOL can do for your, ask what you can do for ACSOL.”
The answer is SHOW UP – STAND UP – SPEAK UP as well as to make whatever financial contribution you can afford. ACSOL has a $10 challenge which we know you can meet or exceed. Imagine what ACSOL could accomplish if every person on the registry contributed only $10 or those who can contribute more than $10 did so.
If that happened, ACSOL would have a “war chest” of at least $1 million which could be used for challenges such as Facebook pages for any registrant who wants one, the opportunity to serve on a jury, no wearing of GPS and overseas travel without restriction.
It’s time to see the BIG PICTURE. It’s time to contribute to make that big picture a REALITY. And it’s easy to do so using the “Donate” button on this page or to mail a check to our headquarters at 1215 K Street, 17th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. Do it TODAY!
Thank you Janice and Co. for all you are doing. You are the voice for so many of us. I tried to donate on this site but it kept declining my credit card. I use the same card, same info for online shopping with no problem. I tried it several times. Has anyone else experienced this?
You are in a precarious position and will never please all. I thank you and your team for your continued efforts – serving the underserved.
One day, I hope that we are allowed to participate in our kids education without permission.
Thank you.
Fantastic post Janice! I wasn’t even aware of the magnitude of how much ACSOL accomplished in CA until I read this post. You ate truly a warrior of people’s rights!
Although I can’t participate in the hearings as I live on the other side of the country, what I CAN do is donate, which I will be doing again shortly.
Regarding this: “Then why do so many people continue to question ACSOL’s dedication to restoring the rights of registrants and their families?”. My answer would be that they can question ACSOL’s efforts All they want. If they don’t get it, they can at least send Donations. That’s all we ask of those people that still “dont get it”.
Janice plz forgive the frustration of us that sometimes loose sight of what’s been done and the goals ahead. It is easy to loose patience when we see and experience acts of harm. You are exponentially correct that our greatest challenge is to get those within our own ranks to wake up, show up, stand up and speak up.
Heartfelt thanks for all that you do and will continue to do. Progress is indeed being made and we will continue to move forward. However we need all of us to stand together, speak out and continue to fight the wrongs. It cannot be done alone. I am making a donation today and encourage everyone to do the same.
The first thing done with the electronic database was to begin the mass indenture of humans to them AND their insatiable maintenance for life. That was a group of already convicted AND defense-less in the perception of congressional leaders, and the top court. A large picture indeed the anti-liberty wrought via the true underlying intent. The ‘ intent’ described by act no different than any other time in human history.
Children in America find themselves enslaved too. They are also reasonably compelled to purchase Identity theft protection precisely because of the threat of the database machines. EVERYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU…..even if you type it AND no signatures needed.
SEC 230 US CODE examples how fiat alterations occurred in “third party” liability from “unauthorized dept. Information disclosure.” Immediately leadership got ‘ in bed’ with the big data folks, that being the national unionized democratic socialists headed by WJC, Tom Foley etc. OMNI 94 frightened the heck out of the Mormons too, so they acted.
There is no ” bigger picture! ” BIG BROTHER and has their new toy.
@Janice Bellucci:
“[W]hy do so many people continue to question ACSOL’s dedication to restoring the rights of registrants and their families?”
—–
Because those same “many people” cannot appreciate the positives they’ve received; they focus only on what they don’t (yet) have: abolishment of the registry.
As I read your question, it brought to mind a story about a major union leader in the 20th century. He had just emerged from a building after a big labor win against a company. A reporter asked him whatever could he would want after such a victory. His reply? “More.” Sadly, that is the position into which some people seem to put you and ACSOL: More. This ingratitude and dismissal of your efforts both anger and sadden me.
I’m glad you wrote this piece, as it answered a whole bunch of questions about the genesis of ACSOL and the reason for your passion in helping a severely disfavored group. Thank you for that passion. Thank you for that compassion. Thank you for your tireless efforts, which I’m sure often get tiresome.
Finally, I rise to your challenge: I’ve made a donation in an amount meeting or exceeding (I won’t say which) your “RC drive” request.
May God bless you.
Thank you Janice! I’m contributing. My only question (I’ve not read anything), how will PC 17B and expungement affect people’s tiers? In some instances, the difference between a Felony & Misdemeanor can dramatically affect your tier? Thank you
Janice you are a great leader in this uncalled for fight! Just like the Jews who was put on death lists in Germany and was tattooed and put in gas chambers! We the people who made a mistake and did our time plus payed our fines.Should Not be on any kind of list in the USA!!! You did your time and payed for your crime you should be let back in to prove you have changed and want too make a difference!! But the Nazis won’t let you!!! So I thank you with all of my heart janice and your defenders that you be blessed in any battle you fight!! To restore the rights of the people. So we won’t be called Sex offenders but human Beings. Labals should only be put on. Food!!!! Not people.AJ you great too for all the help you do too bro! Kill the S$$ List or our we the next Jews! This monster is going to bed cover your neck! Vampire out
“Why do so many people continue to question ACSOL’s dedication to restoring the rights of registrants and their families?”
When I first found this website, two thoughts nagged me. 1. Why isn’t acsol working in conjunction with narsol. 2. IS this just another $ making machine (polygraphers, politicians, some therapists, prisons for profit, etc). Both questions have been answered to my satisfaction. The dedication you have shown on our behalf is heartwarming. Your cooperation with other organizations gives me more hope.
I know that some therapists who work with us are shunned. Some attorneys who help us are shunned. Any politician who acts on our behalf is shunned. I thank you, and will again donate to our cause.
I have just donated.
Janice and this organization, thank you.
I am deeply frustrated with the tiered registry scheme, but there’s no doubt that it’s better than the status quo. In my case (attempted lewd act), 20 years is much, much better than life. There something to look forward to.
Regardless, Janice has done so much for us.
Not only had she worked very hard on our behalf, she’s gotten a lot of results.
Good lawyering on behalf of this maligned group of which I’m part. A blessing for which I’m profoundly grateful.
The ACLU isn’t advocating for us, notice.
Janice,
I can’t speak for the thoughts of others. But for me: Please don’t mistake criticism for contempt. I have monumental respect for you, all those who help you, and everything you have all done so far. The fact that I disagree with you from time to time doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate you. I believe I have stated this on every post I’ve ever made. I don’t comment very often anymore because there are a few people who slam me when I don’t toe the line. I am not a believer in incrementalism. I also do not believe that elected judges will risk their jobs and pensions to do the right thing and let up to 70,000 people off the registry in this state. (Look what happened to Persky.) To be absolutely clear: I HOPE to be 100% wrong. If this works, I will stand and tell you that I am sooooooo happy to be wrong. I just don’t see it. Time will tell. When I was fighting my case, my lawyer described the whole thing as a game of chess. They make a move; we make a move. My guess is that you see it similarly. My only problem with chess: It takes forever. I have applied for a certificate of rehabilitation. My hearing is soon. I do not expect to prevail, but I still have hope. I suppose, that the most important thing your organization brings is just that; hope. Whether I agree with your tactics or not, the simple fact is that there is nobody else working for my benefit. And for that, I am truly grateful. And I’d be willing to bet that even those who are most critical of you would agree with me. I have donated a few times before. Times have been tough since I was torpedoed from my last job in April of 2018. But today, I will donate. The tiered registry doesn’t help me. In fact, it makes things about a thousand times worse. And with a little luck, I will duck it via my COR. But I’ll still donate, right now. Today. Again. Best wishes to you, and all who work with you.
@Matt: “They make a move; we make a move.” I am finding that in many moves I make, except it’s the other way around… I make a move (fight for us), they make a move (retaliate). Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose (can’t fight back too much because I am still on supervision, I am such a threat to society after 17 years, lol)). We need many more people to get fed up with this to be effective (love ya Janice, you know I do, and thank you for fighting). It seems the more I fight, the more they do (additional laws, additional restrictions). I’m good at chess but don’t always “check” the opponent.
In fact, here’s a random thought: Maybe your organization should approach Persky. After all, he can’t get a job, anywhere. Much like a registered sex offender. He is qualified, educated, competent, and unemployable. Maybe he has nothing to lose? Maybe he can help shed light on just how obscene this whole thing has become? If he wanted to, he could easily land an interview on 60 minutes, or similar. All he did was follow the probation report. Something 99% of judges do, 99% of the time. And look what happened. Maybe he needs to be contacted and asked to shed light on the situation?
Thank you Janice Bellucci and ACSOL I truly wish people would be more grateful for the work guys have done and stop complaining and questioning your tactics ..
Thank you Janice and team for everything you’ve done and continue trying to do. I’ve been making automatic monthly donations for for several years now, and will be looking to increase them in the future.
Even though for the moment it seems like I might end up in tier three based solely on my conviction code (I was granted probation, completed my supervision with zero incidents, and even did and extra year voluntarily therapy , with an excellent letter of completion from the program director), I know without your work all of our lives would be so much more difficult. I look at the cruel laws our brothers and sisters have imposed on them in other states, and see how lucky we are here for having ACSOL.
Thank you again for all your hard work and continued dedication.
I always use Paypal. I donate when I can. I usually send $25. Lately PayPal has not been working.
I do thank you for all you have done and are doing. I particularly thank you for explaining our situation having a Federal offense, yet State Registry laws.
Janice, thank you for all you do. I’ve made my donation.
I live outside California but you were instrumental in helping me close a Megan’s law listing that was in error. Years of working with lawyers and having to write my own briefs half the time, it made a huge impact on me that you took an afternoon and corrected an error. You are the only attorney involved in my nightmare that didn’t require me to draft my own arguments. Don’t know what the Pope would have to say about it but you are a Saint in my book.
One thing about asking people to “Speak Up” is that you have to try to listen and understand the opinions of those that disagree with incrementalism as the only approach.
I believe the early fights Janice engaged in were needed. They demonstrated wins were possible. They brought key facts to light and showed that there were limits to what was previously seen as a “blank check” for writing any anti sex offender law you wanted to and just reference Smith V Doe and Connecticut DPS V Doe from 2003.
But at some point, this game of whack a mole also needs to attack the core. I’ve witnessed the process through Mike R’s pro se attempt to squash the registry by attacking the core with Substantive and Procedural Due Process claims. The other side squashes the attempt by citing irrelevant cases and judge’s allow it without reading the arguments. I believe that Janice and her team and resources could overcome these types of roadblocks. I also think Janices team took a hard blow with the poor outcome of the IML challenge. It is my opinion that it is time for another big attack on the registry by this group.
I appreciate any effort against the registry. Especially all that Janice has done. I am no longer on the registry, and want my kids to grow up in a world where they wont be threatened by it either. I will donate today. I also appreciate hearing opinions of those that disagree with me, Janice, or anyone else. Without disagreements to the staus quo this group wouldnt exist and good healthy debates are where new ideas to attack old problems are born.
If we analyze recent movements like Black Lives Matter and (ironically) MeToo perhaps we could reverse engineer their components to see what can be used to affect change to the Registry.
MeToo in particular because the changes were sweeping. For example there were group protests, lots of media coverage, celebrity endorsements, and not to mention social media awareness.
That’s one example how things could change quickly. Can those components I mentioned be created to affect changes on the Registry?
Civil Disobedience is what we should be thinking about and doing at every opportunity. Next year is the 2020 census. I plan to refuse to participate in it, and when asked why I will state that until the government restores all my of my civil rights afforded an American citizen I will not assist the government in any way or form.
@Political, what is your goal? A protest is useless without a clear goal. Also, it will fail if the public doesn’t know you are doing it and why. Also consider you would be reducing funds available to your city for things like health care, which could directly affect you and other registrants.
@Janice
I will gladly donate to push the fight forward. But I have to point out that there are so many fires to put out, that we need to organize better as a team. I think a HUGE blow to the system would be to reverse the decision to make registrants information Public. I imagine that would help Many Families across the board (finding and holding jobs as well as a place to live)
Doing away with in-person Registration.
The tiered system doubles down on punishment for those of us that were given a FTR (zero tolerance policy needs to be addressed) we face 1.5-3 years prison time for it plus parole or probation for another 3 years after that yet as it stands now the tiered system adds an additional 3 years to your Registry punishment.
I think it may be a great idea to actually raise funds for a select group of Registrants to have their Flights plus Room and Board payed for during these important meetings. ACSOL wants Registrants to stand up and speak up, so let’s put a team of bright individuals (Soldiers) together and put them to work.
Thanks to everyone that has worked so hard to fight the good fight. And God bless everyone suffering under the weight of it all.
Is it a goal to end PC 290 entirely? Would that then allow professional licensing to no longer be a problem and also remove the prohibitions on employment?
Janice, thank you for all you and all of the ACSOL team do for me, personally, (not one second of the time you spend fighting this fight, goes unappreciated by me)
Over the decades I’ve been registered, all the while watching things continually get worse, I didn’t think I’d ever see anyone step up to fight all these injustices (Constitutional violations).
I have an update regarding the “Unlimited” “Verified” Complaint filed against me under the guise of a “property dispute”. The only thing that made it about “property” is that I, a registered citizen, resides on it. If it were anyone other than a registered citizen there would be no dispute what so ever. In plain English: I was sued solely because I am a “registered citizen” And I can prove that fact over and over again, forward and backwards, from top to bottom, coming and going.
While Ann and I were having lunch with you at that awesome little Italian restaurant, prior to you walking us over the State Capital and showing us what we’d be doing last Feb 5th at the protest, I was attempting to fill you in on the (so-called) property lawsuit I was dealing with, You asked me if I was represented by counsel, and because I was, you could not discuss the case with me for what I later learned were all of the professional and ethical reasons. As it turned out about “being represented by counsel”, though it has no bearing on you discussing my case with me; I’d have to answer that question like this: No, I’m not being represented by counsel, I’m being misrepresented by counsel.
What they ended up doing to me , and the reason I couldn’t make it back to the State Capital to protest, was nothing short of criminal. I had 3 years of security camera video, video/audio, photographs, documents, and eye witnesses, including a retired Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, who’s also a neighbor and friend, who, along with many other members of the neighborhood were willing to testify on my behalf that I did nothing I was accused of and that it was obvious to all of my friends in the neighborhood and some of the community that all od the harassment, provocation, vandalism, and ultimately, the lawsuit, was because I was on the registry. The attorney I hired and paid to defend me suppressed every bit of my defense and ultimately protected the plaintiff’s while exposing me to liability to the plaintiff’s who can go to the Judge, Ex-Parte with an accusation I had violated the Settlement Agreement. As the sole heir to this once million dollar estate, I’d say their coming for the money. Because I didn’t do any of the actions claimed in the suit, but in fact had videos, videos/audios actually showing the plaintiff’s, and all of them, doing those things and more to me, my family, and property for 3 years prior to their filing suit against me. To put a finer point on it, every cause of action where the plaintiff’s accused me of something at a particular time and date, I have the corresponding video and audio disproving the allegation(s) – every one. The plaintiff’s had nothing because I didn’t do anything. My estate took a $300K hit while defending myself and my property.
Janice, you really should look this over for possible Civil Rights violations. My point is, and as you are seeking donations, I’m willing to donate my entire estate, property included to you or ACSOL, or any other Registration Reform Organization. I don’t think you took me seriously back in January when I told you that I do not have a suitable Successor Trustee. And after 3 years of non-stop harassment and provocation I was still okay and continuing to do the right thin g and always acted in “good faith” But the last 3 years of being screwed in this lawsuit has destroyed me and I just don’t feel well and I have no one that f#####g cares. Just 5 years ago I was happy, had the love of my life here with me, we had our dogs and cats, friends with everyone in this neighborhood and many in the community (as a registrant), and no significant other, no animals Many strained friendships (due to my being under a great deal of stress) Etc. etc.
If what just happened to me is allowed to stand and can not be corrected then this just means I have no ability to protect myself, my family, and of course, this estate. It’s “open season” on me where I, even with indisputable proof, I have no legal recourse. At this point, what is there to live for – more of this shit – sitting her alone and isolated waiting for these f#####’s take all of my money and take me out. I would gladly propose to be the first RC to petition the state for my right to be euthanized and have my right to die.
Anyway, I expect to be accused of some “wrongdoing” and severely sanctioned before years end.
I will add, I am not suicidal, never have been, and never will be. That is different than asking to be executed by, not an illiterate, skinhead, or the like, but rather a lawyer or someone with an advance education, constitutional oaths, ethics, and the like – kind of like that man who stood in front of that advancing tank many decades back in China. I would gladly give my life to see if any of those high ranking community leaders or politicians, those who are “more than happy” to propose and/or pass laws that are tantamount to killing large numbers of people, while all the while, keeping their pretty little hands clean. As long as there are throngs of news cameras covering the event.